Hummingbird | Sequel to Butterfly [A Harry Styles Fanfiction] {Book 2}

Chapter 9: A Welcome Change

Cami's POV:

Nerves were not the proper term to explain my emotions as I headed out of the house on my way to meet Sean. The closest word I could think of to explain what I was feeling was anxiety and uncertainty about how this would turn out. I knew it wasn't a real date, but I hadn't been out with a guy other than Harry in a really long time-- especially one I had only met on one other occasion.

If he hadn't called back and Eloise didn't encourage me to accept his offer, I probably wouldn't have thought twice about him. Yet, somehow, here I was about to take a tour of the local art scene with some hot shot magazine publisher that I literally knew nothing about, aside from his name.

I pulled into a parking spot close to the cafe we planned to meet at and hesitantly got out of my car. I walked slowly the rest of the day and went back and forth on whether I should have listened to Eloise about this. I figured that the worst that could happen was that I would have a s.hitty time, in which case I would have an excuse to never do this again and that it was worth a shot to just get out of the house for once.

As I approached the door, I wondered if I would even remember what he looked like. I scanned the crowd of people for a good minute before I finally saw his incredibly chiseled face. Sean was seated at a table in the back and even from a distance, I could see his bright blue eyes looking down at his cellphone.  At just the right moment, he looked up and met my gaze, holding up a hand and inviting me over to the table. I weaved through the chairs set out and finally managed to reach the table and take a seat in front of the now brightly smiling Sean.

"You know, I was a little worried you were going to stand me up," he teased, before even saying hello.

I giggled, settling myself in my seat and letting out a nervous breath. "My boss would be disappointed if I gave up this opportunity. I hear you know the art around here like the back of your hand," I said, tucking my hair behind my ears.

"So you have heard of me?" he asked, with a knowing smirk.

I felt my cheeks turn red at his question. It felt as if he had caught me in a lie, but I honestly had never heard of him when we had initially met. Yet, I was sitting before him blushing like a stupid teenager.

"My boss was the one you spoke to on the phone, she filled me in yesterday," I explained, managing to make some sense.

He nodded his head, but his smirk didn't leave his full lips. It was almost as if he didn't actually believe me but was pretending to for my sake.

"She's also my aunt and roommate." I elebroated. "She told me I needed to get out of the house for once," I shrugged.

His eyebrows rose slightly. "Boss and aunt? That's gotta be interesting."

"You have no idea," I said, thinking back to this time last year when I didn't even know she existed.

Things had changed a lot since then and I couldn't help but wonder how everything had somehow led me here.

We both ordered coffees and managed to make some small talk as we waited for them and while we drank them, but I still couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable around him. I was thankful when we finally paid and went back outside to begin the promised in's and out's of the local art scene.

"So, at least tell me you've seen a couple of the touristy things while you've been here?" He asked, as we stood right outside the cafe doors.

I shook my head, a little embarrassed. "Nope. Nothing at all," I explained.

I hadn't thought about how silly that seemed until now. I had now lived her for almost five months and was enrolled in one of the best art schools in the country and yet I had seen nothing of what the city had to offer, other than the work that came through the gallery doors.